Don't Know Your Name, Ain't Nothing to Regret
by notgonnatellu
Summary: It is the last day of the year. All Marinette needs is a little bit of alcohol in order to be honest with herself and to open up her heart to her partner. Needless to say, it doesn't end well. / aged-up Ladynoir


They are a bit older here, like 18/19/20

(I actually wrote this story back in 2017, posted it, hated it, deleted it, rewrote it and tadaa! I'm a bit more satisfied with it now I guess...)

* * *

In the dark of the club, Marinette walked confidently, her red dress twirling. On her face she wore a homemade Ladybug mask.

Everyone was looking at her. It was no surprise, Ladybug turned heads wherever she went. Some even stopped dancing just to stare at her. It only made the corners of Marinette's mouth quirk up.

The club was crowded because it was the last day of the year – and also because it was Chloé Bourgeois' birthday. The birthday girl had basically invited every single person she knew, including Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Excluding Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

At first, Marinette had decided that she would not go at all. Chloé had invited Ladybug but not Marinette, so it would serve her right if Ladybug didn't show up either. It would be a pang to Chloé's pride and Marinette would get her revenge. Besides, she knew that Adrien was not coming and that automatically meant that the party would suck.

However, she did know that _Chat Noir_ was attending the party. The cat himself had told her that after the latest akuma attack, praying that she would come, too. Otherwise he would apparently "die of boredom". She'd never gone clubbing with Chat Noir, it could be fun.

So, there she was, at Chloé's party, trying to find her partner. Tikki was in her purse in case of emergency; someone drunk enough might decide that it was time to take off Ladybug's mask and see who was underneath it. Marinette was dressed in an ordinary dress and the only thing hiding her identity was the red mask she had made a few hours earlier. (Thank god that Alya had decided not to come.)

It was a wonder Marinette had not run into Chloé yet. By now the girl must have heard that Ladybug had arrived.

Then, finally, she spotted him at the bar. It had to be him, she'd know that back anywhere... or at least that was what she wanted to believe.

Grinning, she sat down on the bar stool next to her partner, startling him. Marinette chuckled, watching how his eyes widened when he turned to look at her.

"Ladybug!" Chat Noir exclaimed, almost dropping his drink. "You came!"

"Good to see you, too." She smiled and eyed her partner. He was not wearing his superhero costume but was still dressed head to toe in black. He looked nice in the black suit, but it might have been a bit too much. No doubt Chloé was wearing something expensive, but this really wasn't a fancy event. While others were wearing casual t-shirts and short dresses, Chat Noir looked like he was ready for the red carpet.

The biggest difference, however, could be found on his face. Half of Chat's face was hidden by a homemade mask – just like hers – but he didn't look like himself at all. Marinette knew that her appearance was pretty much the same whether she was Ladybug or herself. Chat's Miraculous apparently changed him a lot more than she had originally thought.

First of all, his eyes weren't cat-like. Marinette was surprised that the little detail could change him so drastically. The colour of his eyes was still green but it wasn't as vibrant or bright as it usually was. The sight was so strange and different that it almost made her frown.

Secondly, she couldn't believe how stylish his hair looked. It was far from the crazy mop Marinette was used to. As much as she liked his messy hair she had to admit that this hairstyle looked good on him, too.

On top of all that, he didn't have cat ears, which was a nice plus. Overall her partner looked... surprisingly normal.

"Wow, Chat Noir, you look good", she complimented truthfully, mouth opening in awe.

Her partner blushed madly under the mask. He rarely turned so red that she could actually see it.

"Thank you, Ladybug. You look good, too. Amazing, actually! I mean, you always look great but, uh... th-the dress is nice..."

Marinette let out a small laugh before twirling to show off her new dress. "Thanks, I made it myself."

Chat blinked. "You did?" He gaped. "Wow, is there anything the great Ladybug can't do?"

A sly smirk spread across her face. She leaned closer and playfully tapped him on the nose, hoping it would make him blush again.

"I'm sure you'd like to know", she said, winking.

Chat blinked at her again, then grinned. He leaned forward, too, until their foreheads almost touched. Marinette looked deep into his eyes. She noticed how his eyes twinkled.

"Oh, I most definitely would love to know more about you", was his reply.

Marinette pouted. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. He wasn't blushing.

Ignoring his grin, she looked around, frowning. "Anyway, have you seen the birthday girl? I couldn't find her anywhere."

Pink spread across Chat's cheeks once again, and Marinette narrowed her eyes. Oh, now he decided to blush again?

"I, uh. Well, yes, I have." Chat cleared his throat, awkwardly shifting in his chair. "I went to see her right away when I got here so that I could, you know, wish her a happy birthday and thank her for the invitation. She's, uh, in the VIP lounge..."

Marinette nodded and got up to leave, but Chat's next words stopped her.

"...making out with a girl."

Marinette froze immediately, grimacing. Slowly like a robot, she turned back to her partner. "Sorry, what?"

"I was unfortunate enough to interrupt them." He downed the rest of his drink in one gulp. "You might not want to do the same."

Marinette's brain worked unusually slow. Chloé's caked face, conceited smile and ugly lipstick flashed through her mind. She shuddered. That girl – whoever she was – had poor taste in women. Was she blind? She had to be, Marinette reasoned.

"Are you really telling me that _Chloé Bourgeois_ found someone who is attracted to her? Seriously? Someone actually, _willingly_ kissed her on the lips? Are you sure we're talking about the same Chloé?"

Chat avoided eye contact with her but hummed in response. "It looked pretty heated."

Marinette gagged. "In that case..." She sat back down. Chat let out a short laugh.

Chloé making out with someone... well, that was an image she wanted to get out of her head as soon as possible.

"I need a drink", she said. "Something strong."

Chat patted her back. "I could tell you a cat pun or two, I'm sure it would improve your mood."

Marinette groaned. "No, thanks", she declined and raised a finger to call the bartender.

Unfortunately, nothing could stop Chat's big mouth, not even her pained expression. But after a couple of drinks, his jokes actually started to become funny. The dumber they were the more she laughed. The alcohol had clearly started to work its magic.

"What did the old pirate cat say on his 80th birthday? _'Aye matey'_."

Almost spilling her drink, Marinette snorted loudly. Chat burst out laughing, too. They both giggled like idiots.

So, after one too many drinks, Chat tilted his head to one side, a hopeful smile playing on his lips. "Would you like to dance?"

He didn't need to ask twice. With a big smile, Marinette got up from her seat, grabbed his hand and led him to the dance floor. Chat Noir's eyes shone behind the mask when she placed her hand in his. He was slowly starting to look more like himself instead of the stylish prince she knew that he wasn't. Besides, Chat's puns were always exceptionally bad, princes were supposed to be sophisticated, like Adrien.

Marinette let Chat spin her around and her red dress moved as if it was alive. She felt like a ballerina. They were both all grins.

She found out that Chat Noir was an excellent dancer, which honestly surprised her. Who would have known? Chat moved elegantly, it was like his eyes were dancing, too, and even when she squished his foot under her own, he just smiled brightly at her and continued as if nothing had happened. Chat was sure-footed on the dance floor even when he was a little drunk. Marinette wondered if he was a dancer in real life.

The music was loud as thunder and it felt like a drug in her veins. They swirled around again and again, and the rest of the world seemed to disappear. They moved with the music, danced like it was their last night on earth. They laughed and grinned and joked and Marinette loved every minute, every second of it. They became one with the music and one with each other.

The warmth between them was almost overwhelming and it seemed to grow more powerful by the second. Marinette welcomed the feeling, closing her eyes for a moment as Chat spun her around once again. She felt so alive that she was sure her skin was glowing.

When it was her turn to spin Chat, she noticed how he was avoiding her eyes, a tiny blush covering his cheeks. Her eyebrows drew together. She spun him anyway.

Chat placed his hand back on her waist.

"What's wrong?" Marinette asked when he still refused to meet her gaze. She wasn't used to seeing her partner this way. So... shy? "Cat got your tongue?"

At that he finally raised his head to look at her. A set of emotions flashed in his green eyes, but Marinette didn't have time to catch any of them. She had no idea what he was thinking, which was very unusual. He was her partner, it was her job to know what was going on inside his head.

They stopped dancing and Chat ran his fingers through his hair, chuckling nervously. His other hand still rested on her waist.

"Nothing's wrong. It's just..." he hesitated, turning his gaze to the dance floor again. "You're so _close_."

There was a pause.

Marinette blinked, surprised. Suddenly she was very aware of how their chests were touching and their breaths mingling. She took a step back immediately. The last thing she wanted was to make him uncomfortable.

"Sorry", she apologized, embarrassed. "Do you want to stop? I can go if you're –"

"No!" he cut in quickly, sounding almost desperate. His hold on her waist tightened.

She raised an eyebrow at him.

Chat swallowed. "I-I don't mind. That you're close. It's nice. Really nice, actually."

Marinette had to bite her lip to prevent herself from laughing. She took a step closer to him again, this time intertwining her fingers with his. Her heart jumped in her chest at the contact and Marinette cursed under her breath. She had held Chat's hand plenty of times before, it shouldn't have made her heart smile like that.

They were so close that she could feel his warm breath on her forehead. Marinette raised her gaze from their intertwined hands and almost gasped. Chat was looking down at her with absolute adoration and devotion in his eyes. This time her heart tried to jump _out_ of her chest.

No, Marinette thought as her eyes widened, Chat wasn't supposed to have feelings for her anymore. Marinette had hoped that after all these years he would have moved on, but now she saw that he still cared for her deeply.

And to her horror, she realized that she was glad he did.

Finally, they started to move with the music again, this time slowly. Marinette's gaze automatically drifted from his beautiful eyes to his lovely lips. The alcohol was making her head spin.

"Can I kiss you?" she blurted out before her brain could fully comprehend what she was saying. The second the words escaped her lips, Marinette slapped a hand over her mouth. The question made Chat freeze so suddenly that she accidentally stepped on his feet. She uttered an apology, but Chat didn't make a sound. He just stared at her and gaped openly, unable to process what he had just heard.

Once Marinette realized that he was not going to say anything, she decided to just go with it and see how he would react. After all, he wasn't saying no, so... maybe...

Her lips approached his. She made sure to give Chat enough time to pull away, but when he didn't, she grabbed the collar of his fancy suit, pulled him down and pressed their lips together. She could feel how Chat immediately tensed at the closeness.

To be honest, Marinette wasn't sure what she had expected to gain from the kiss. Chat's lips didn't evoke any fireworks or explosions or heavenly choirs like she had always imagined that Adrien's lips would. Maybe she had expected regret, proof that she and Chat were just friends, proof that she would never love her partner romantically.

What she got instead was _warmth_, and that was ten times better than fireworks. _Safe_ was the word that came to her mind. She didn't regret this at all.

The kiss barely lasted for two seconds before Marinette pulled away, her lips tingling. Then she went straight back for more, craving for the warmth that his soft lips could give her.

This time Chat kissed her back, maybe a little nervously, his slightly shaking hands moving from her waist to her back. Slowly, his body started to relax and eventually he followed her lead.

They were partners and it showed. Their lips were in sync, _everything_ was always in sync. The warmth of his body, the delicate touches of his hands, the pressure of his gentle lips, it all made her melt. Hunger slipped into their kiss, which only caused her to press harder. His skin was burning hers.

They shouldn't be doing this. This would ruin their partnership. She should pull away and apologize._ He_ should tell her to stop.

None of those things happened. They kept going and it felt good, so damn good. Marinette enjoyed kissing Chat Noir so much that she was embarrassed to admit it. Why had she avoided this again?

Marinette swallowed a moan that wasn't hers and finally pulled away from him. Her breath came out in short pants, mimicking Chat Noir's shallow breathing. Without letting go of his collar, she studied his expression carefully, ready to take a step back if he showed even the slightest bit of discomfort.

Chat didn't look like he was uncomfortable. Quite the opposite. His cheeks were flushed, and his pupils were dilated and darkened with something.

Marinette almost gulped.

Desire, she realized. His eyes were hazy with desire.

Not what she had expected to see, but... well, if she was completely honest, she wasn't disappointed. The best part was that _she_ had put that look on Chat's face, her lipstick had made Chat's lips that red, her kisses had made Chat Noir gasp for air.

Marinette let her eyes move freely over his body, making Chat's blush deepen. Their eyes met. A funny feeling grew in her stomach.

Marinette captured his lips again before she had time to regret it. Chat made a small sound of surprise but kissed her back. He caught her bottom lip between his own and Marinette let herself sigh against his mouth, feeling safe.

Next, she moved to nip at his neck. Her partner gasped and instinctively tilted his head back to give her better access. He buried his hands in her hair, tugging gently as his eyes closed.

The small noises he made and the way his body reacted to her touch only made her want to kiss him more. Marinette would have never thought that Chat Noir's voice could affect her this much. She loved every little sound he made with those pretty lips of his.

She loved how her touch affected him, but she was scared of how he affected her.

Marinette moved back to his mouth and pulled gently on his lower lip before breaking the kiss. Chat opened his eyes slowly, like he had just woken up from a very deep dream, and Marinette momentarily lost herself in the depth of his green. It had always been written in their gaze, the chemistry they had shared from the very beginning, she understood that now. And when Chat exhaled shakily, Marinette's head suddenly filled with thoughts of a darkened room and a king sized bed. The night was still young and she wanted to leave.

The sober part of her brain instantly warned her, flashing red, but she didn't listen.

She leaned forward and bit Chat's earlobe gently. The boy shuddered.

"A-are you trying to seduce me, my lady?" He laughed, sounding a bit breathless. They were so close that she could feel his wild heartbeat.

"Mm", she hummed in response. The thickness of her own voice surprised her. "I think we should start a love affair."

Chat nearly choked on air. He pulled away from her, eyes wide. Marinette could almost see how his mind was in flames, smoke coming out of his ears. Chat looked like he was about to pass out.

Marinette held back a giggle. Poor boy.

Ten seconds passed as she waited for Chat's reply. Then twenty. Thirty...

Everyone around them was either screaming or dancing, but Chat seemed to have lost his ability to speak or move. He just stared at her in shock.

Suddenly, Tikki snapped her purse open. The tiny kwami glared at her with narrowed eyes, but Marinette just gave her an awkward smile, snapped the purse shut and ignored her.

"There are, um, rooms upstairs", she mumbled and gestured lamely at the exit. "We're the heroes of this city, I'm sure they'll give us one for free if we ask nicely."

Her partner swallowed thickly and finally opened his mouth. "Ladybug..."

Marinette waited for him to continue, but no words came. She could only imagine how much internal struggle he was going through at the moment.

"So, what do you say?" she tried again as she played with her hair. "I-I get it if you don't want to."

Painfully slowly, Chat forced his mouth open again, and Marinette held her breath.

"Are... are you _serious_?" he squeaked in disbelief. "Ladybug, you... You're joking, aren't you?"

"I really am not, kitty."

And when she turned around and walked out of the room, he followed.

.-.-.

It turned out that he was actually her catnip.

.-.-.

Marinette opened her eyes slowly, still sleepy. Her muscles felt weak, everything was a little blurry. The room was dimly lit but she could tell that it was daytime already.

Ignoring the sun, she closed her eyes again. Her friends or family didn't need her right now and Paris could survive a few hours without Ladybug. She was so tired...

"Marinette!" came a familiar high-pitched voice. Before Marinette could protest, Tikki put the lights on, looking extremely angry.

Marinette groaned loudly the moment the bright light touched her sensitive eyes. She buried her face into the pillow.

"_Marinette_", Tikki said more sharply this time, tiny hands on her hips. "Don't you dare fall asleep again."

The girl mumbled something incoherent and forced herself to sit up. She squinted, eyelids heavy. The room was spinning, her head hurt. She felt like the morning after a drunk one night stand.

Oh, wait.

Still glaring, Tikki looked like she was screaming internally. "Get up. Chat Noir has already left."

Marinette straightened her back immediately.

"_What?_" she screeched, voice hoarse, and quickly turned her head. Her stomach flipped instantly. The only thing she saw was the wrinkled pillow next to her. Marinette swallowed thickly, her mouth suddenly dry. She felt sick.

She almost couldn't believe that he really had just left her there. Chat Noir didn't seem like the type to disappear before sunrise after spending the night with the person he claimed to be in love with. Had he panicked and fled? Fleeing didn't sound like Chat Noir either.

To be honest, it was all a bit cold. He had left without saying a word while she was asleep and now Marinette felt like a total idiot. She had expected to find his face nuzzled in the crook of her neck, his arms loosely wrapped around her, a tiny blissful smile playing on his lips as his crazy hair tickled –

She stopped her thoughts before it could get any worse. Way too many details.

"What were you thinking?" Tikki questioned, flying around the room hysterically.

Marinette merely shrugged in response but in truth she was troubled. Bitter even. Emptiness washed over her. Chat Noir had caused her so much stress over the years, would it ever stop?

"Nothing... happened. At least nothing bad." She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince.

Tikki looked like she couldn't believe her ears. If the kwami had had hair, she would surely have tried to rip it off.

"'_Nothing happened'_?"

Marinette nodded, stiff.

Her friend's next words were like a splash of ice-cold water on her face, "_You're not even wearing your mask_!"

Marinette's hands flew to her face and the girl gasped in horror. All that she felt around her eyes was soft skin.

"Oh no", she barely managed to rasp out of her dry throat when she noticed her small red mask next to her pillow. It must have fallen off her face while she was asleep. "Nononono..."

It had all been for nothing. She had protected her identity so hard and for so long, but it had all been for _nothing_. While she could say that she was lucky it had been her partner who had found out her indentity and not some random stranger, she definitely didn't feel very lucky at the moment.

Marinette was on the verge of bursting into tears so let her dark hair fall and cover her face. She clenched her fists.

"Did he see my face?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Tikki nodded, her shoulders slumping.

"And..." Marinette wrapped her arms around herself. "Did he recognize me?"

Tikki nodded again but this time a little hesitantly.

Marinette let out a few curse words. So that was the reason why he had left.

An unexpected pang of sadness hit her. Chat Noir knew her identity. He knew Ladybug was Marinette and he had run away from her. He was shocked, possibly disappointed.

Frowning, she shook her head. It made no sense. Chat had met her as Marinette maybe three times, he didn't know her well enough to be disappointed. Or had she really given him such a bad first impression?

Then she noticed a second mask on the floor, bigger and darker than hers. The mask was only a copy of the original, but Marinette would know it anywhere. After all, she had just spent the night staring at the face hidden under the very same mask.

A horrible thought burst into her mind, unwanted. It was like someone had just kicked her first in the stomach and then in the face. Marinette prayed that her speculations were wrong.

She rushed to pick up the mask and shoved it to Tikki's face, breathing hard like she had just run a marathon. Her hand was shaking.

"Did you see Chat Noir's face?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

"I did."

"Did you recognize him? Do _I_ know him?"

Tikki turned her gaze, guilt clouding her features. "You know I can't tell you that."

Marinette froze. The look on her kwami's face told her enough.

She knew Chat Noir's civilian self. Chat Noir knew her civilian self when he was his civilian self. He knew, _he knew_.

Panic set in. This could not be possible.

Marinette bit her finger nails. It was time to forget everything people said about ladybugs, they were not lucky creatures. Marinette was living proof of that.

What had she been thinking indeed? How could she have been so stupid, careless, reckless? Her drunk brain had thought that it would be a good idea to sleep with Chat, that it was _okay_ because she didn't know his real name, because there was a mask in the way. Her brain had told her that there would be nothing to regret.

Marinette closed her eyes and exhaled long and slow, trying to get her mental breakdown under control. She brought her trembling fingers to her lips again and familiar warmth flashed through her. The memory of Chat's quiet groans of pleasure almost made her think that this mess was worth it. The way he had softly whimpered beneath her as she gently bit his neck, the shockwaves she had felt when she heard him moan her superhero name as he...

Marinette shook her head violently.

No. Nope. Last night had been nothing but a big mistake.

Still... she had to admit to herself that hearing Chat call her 'my lady' had never sounded so good before.

Marinette groaned and buried her face in her hands. She should never have asked to kiss him, it truly had ruined everything.

"I really messed up this time, didn't I?"

The only answer she got was Tikki's wistful sigh.

A sudden explosion caused the building to rock violently, like a bomb going off, and Marinette automatically jumped to her feet, ready to fight. A distant scream could be heard.

It was her turn to sigh.

Akuma time, yey.

Unfortunately, this meant that she would have to face Chat Noir very soon. They always put their duty first, they _had to_ put their duty first, but Marinette wasn't sure if they were ready to see each other yet. She was afraid that this was a mess they would not be able to clean up, not even together.

.-.-.

The first day of January turned out to be bright and chilly. There wasn't any snow, but the ground was glittering with frost. All the old buildings created a stunning icy maze of alleyways and rooftops.

Tiredly, Ladybug leaped from rooftop to rooftop. Transformed, she always had a good view of the city but she had never disliked the scenery this much. She almost wanted to turn around, go home, sleep for a thousand years and just avoid everything and everyone for a few centuries.

She turned her face skywards and exhaled nervously. The sky was white and blinding and she had to cover her eyes. The superhero groaned. She still had a nasty headache.

The day was about to get even worse when she spotted her partner, who was standing alone on a nearby rooftop, facing the city. Ladybug groaned louder. She _really_ didn't want to see him right now.

The crystal light of the clear winter morning made Chat's golden hair shine so brightly that Ladybug wanted to shield her eyes again. Her partner looked more beautiful than he ever had before, and Ladybug's heart jumped around in her chest, skipping beats. Her eyes widened when she realized just how screwed she was. The warmth of Chat's smile had been permanently burned into her soul.

She wanted to run far away from Chat Noir and Paris and her emotions. At the same time, all she wanted to do was run _to_ him, hug him and tell him exactly how much he really meant to her, tell him about the way her heart lit up with joy whenever she saw him.

_He left you the moment he learnt about your identity_, the bitter taste in her mouth reminded. _You need to be ready in case you have to scold him or kick his ass, no matter who he is underneath that mask_.

Ladybug clenched her fists and shook her head slightly. Akuma first, feelings later.

Chat's cat ears twitched when she hopped up onto the rusty roof and landed next to him. Shoulders tense, he turned around. Both of their breaths came out in visible puffs, joining the white and grey world around them as they stared at each other. Seeing the evident shame and fear in his eyes made her feel a little better but it didn't stop the sickening feeling in her stomach.

Chat _knew_ her.

_She_ knew _him_.

Oh no, oh no, oh –

"Hi, Ma-Ma-my princess!" Chat Noir managed to stammer out. Then his cheeks turned red, eyes widening. "I meant lady! Lady princess! Bug-inette –"

Eyes surprisingly blank, Ladybug held up a hand as she walked past her partner, silencing him. If Chat expected a warm response, he was badly mistaken.

"Save it. I know you know", she said, her tone flat. It was the kind of voice that sent chills creeping up people's spines.

She watched how he gulped; he knew he was in trouble. She could easily sense his nervousness (or was it panic?) just like he clearly sensed her quiet bitterness.

The akuma roared in the background, and Ladybug exhaled sharply. Judging by its voice, the villain-of-the-week seemed to be some kind of a monster or perhaps another gigantic creature that had been declared extinct ages ago. Just great.

Ladybug turned back to her partner, who looked just as uncomfortable. Now that she was closer she could see that his eyes were a bit duller than they normally were and _a lot_ duller than they had been last night. Probably for the first time ever, as her eyes moved over his body, Ladybug noticed that she really wondered about his identity.

They _knew_ each other. Just who the hell was he?

"We'll talk about our... situation later", she said through gritted teeth. "Right now we have an akuma to catch."

Mentally preparing herself for the fight, Ladybug spun her yoyo with more force than needed. Chat stared at her earrings for a moment, hesitating. Then he took a few steps towards her and pulled his baton out of his belt, ready to go.

"Um", he started, "I need you to know that I have nothing but complete respect and admiration for you."

Instantly, something inside Ladybug snapped. She dropped her yoyo, which then proceeded to bounce a few times on the slippery rooftop. Slowly, _slowly_, she picked it up. She clenched her fingers tightly around the weapon as Chat patiently waited for her to say something. Finally she whirled to face him, seeing nothing but angry red.

"Actually, you know what?" Her voice was high-pitched and louder than usual. "Let's talk about it right now."

The akuma growled again, reminding the heroes of its existence. Ladybug didn't care.

"'Complete respect and admiration' you say? Don't make me laugh!"

And then she actually laughed. A dry, humorless chuckle that chilled Chat to the bone. His ears drooped, tail lashing defensively.

"Ladybug –"

"You can't just disappear like that!" She threw her hands up. "I don't know if _you_ were disappointed, but guess who _definitely_ was?"

"Please, let me explain!"

There was frustration in his voice as well, but Ladybug couldn't bring herself to care. She shook her head. Chat had already lost his chance to explain. They could have talked about this if he hadn't fled. Maybe they could have even solved this, together, but now there was only hurt bubbling in her chest.

They were supposed to be partners. While protecting Paris, they had to trust each other with their lives and they had trusted each other last night. She couldn't believe that Chat had willingly let all of that trust go to waste just because he had realized that they knew each other in real life.

"How dare you", she pointed an accusatory finger at him. The boy seemed to shrink under her icy gaze, he was visibly sweating. "How could you do that to me? Do you treat all of your friends this coldly? Is this how you always behave after a one night stand?"

All the hurt she had felt since she woke up was pouring out of her mouth.

Finally Chat blinked his eyes, looking baffled. He swallowed before opening his mouth. "O-one night stand?" he squeaked and Ladybug could clearly hear the disappointment in his voice. It only made her anger grow.

"Yes, a one night stand!" she spit out. "Because if you think I will ever sleep with you again, you are badly mistaken!"

Chat shut his mouth and turned to look at his feet.

Ladybug couldn't believe that she had actually enjoyed last night. She had enjoyed their conversation, their dance, their kiss and everything that had happened after that. She couldn't believe that the boy standing in front of her was capable of making such sweet sounds that easily melted her brain. But the truth was that Chat Noir, her partner, her best friend, out of all people, had just coldheartedly walked away after seeing her without the mask.

Ladybug dragged a hand along her face.

They knew each other and Chat was disappointed and maybe she didn't like his civilian self either, maybe they didn't get along and oh no, this was a mess!

Unexpectedly, Ladybug's eyes welled up. Letting out a shaky sigh, she turned away, hiding his face from Chat. As the hero of Paris she should have been able to handle things like these. She should have been used to the stress and anxiety by now.

But this was different. This was about Chat, about someone she rarely questioned. Her anchor, her lifeline.

Worn out, she sat down on the edge of the roof and hid her face in her hands, letting out a long sigh. Her anger had been surprisingly short lived, the earlier sadness taking control again. She bit her lower lip as hard as she could without drawing blood.

She heard how Chat moved closer.

"Marinette, I..." The rest of the words slid straight back down his throat when she winced.

"Please, don't", she pleaded, shaking her head, voice fragile. Hearing him use her real name made her feel even more vulnerable.

Slowly, Chat knelt beside her. He put a slightly trembling hand on her shoulder, making her raise her gaze. He studied her face with a gentle, apologetic look.

Pursing her lips tightly together, Ladybug closed her eyes. She tried her best to ignore the feeling but couldn't. Her heart fluttered excitedly in her chest, full of devotion and affection. It obviously had a soft spot for him.

Yep, she couldn't deny it anymore. She loved him, goddamnit. Chat had managed to sneak into her heart despite the walls she had built around it as Ladybug. She was _in_ love with him.

Chat's voice woke her from her thoughts, "I didn't... I didn't mean to find out."

Ladybug opened her eyes to find him nervously playing with his baton, his cat ears drooping. Her heart swelled even more.

"I cannot tell you how sorry I truly am. I know I acted with total stupidity when I left, I shouldn't have, and I completely understand your anger and frustration. I never wanted to hurt you, it was in no way intentional or malicious, I would never purposely do that. I know that my apology doesn't change the fact that I acted like a complete douchebag, I'm not expecting you to forgive me but... I guess I just panicked a little and..."

He stopped mid sentence when she gave him an unimpressed look.

"Okay, yeah, I panicked _a lot_", he admitted. "But only because I knew how important your identity is to you and I just..."

Ladybug was surprised when Chat all of a sudden hung his head in shame, shoulders slumping. His bottom lip quivered and a sob threatened to choke off his apology.

"I made a mistake and I regret it", he whispered. The word 'mistake' made her stomach turn. "I'm so sorry, Ladybug."

There was a short pause as the heroine tried to process Chat's last words. She sniffed, mouth scrunching into a bitter scowl. She knew that he was just trying to be honest but the words hurt nonetheless.

_A mistake_.

"No, I get it." She wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist and got up. "The whole thing was a mistake."

Chat head shot up so quickly that she actually shrieked, startled. Sadness coloured his expression. "Do you really think that it was a mistake?"

"Who, me? Uuhhh", she stammered, taken aback by the question.

(_Chat. Lying on his back. Eyes closed, his mouth forming a small 'o'. And her trembling, excited hands, aching to touch every part of him. Ears drinking in all the delicious sounds that she could get out of him_ –)

"Y-you, um..." She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "You just said that it was a mistake when we –"

Before she could continue, Chat raised his hands, interrupting her. A frown rolled over his face, deepening by the second.

"Hold up. That's not what I meant at all." He shook his head vigorously. "I really am sorry that I found out who you are, but I'm not even going to pretend that I didn't enjoy last night. Because I did, very much."

Ladybug tried to suppress an amused snort but failed. "Of course you liked it, I did most of the work anyway. You just sat there and waited for me to give you orders."

"Hey!"

She couldn't help it, a quiet giggle escaped her mouth when Chat pouted. Gazing at him with a careful, small smile, Ladybug watched how his expression softened at her warm chuckle. Soon enough he returned the smile, making her heart flutter again.

Just as quickly as it came, Ladybug's smile faded away. Frustration clawed at her. She still didn't know who he was.

"So... we know each other, don't we?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer. "As civilians."

Chat's smile fell, too. A tense nod was his answer.

Ladybug took a deep breath. "How _well_ do we know each other?"

"I... I do think of you as a friend."

Ladybug's racing heart skipped a painful beat. Then it started to beat a mile a minute.

Friends. They lived in _Paris_, population: 2 000 000. What were the odds? Had Chat really been this close the whole time? And if so, how blind did that make her, make them both?

"Alright..." Everything was a bit fuzzy. "Okay, but, um, before I find out who you are, there's something I want to tell y–"

"Do you have to, though?" Chat asked, cutting her off. He looked tense. "To know my identity, I mean. I just... really don't want you to hate my civilian self, too."

Ladybug almost laughed. "Hate you? Oh, kitty, I don't hate you. Quite the opposite actually."

Her eyes moved from his surprised face to his chest, where his heart was. That heart was so precious to her. She wanted to protect and love and spend the rest of her life with it.

Ladybug inhaled deeply, her own heartbeat loud in her ears. But her voice was calm. Sure, strong. So sincere that Chat almost fell off the roof.

"I love you. I'm _in_ love with you, no matter who you are."

Chat looked stunned, absolutely stunned. His right hand flew to his chest and it looked like he couldn't breathe properly. He gave her his best look of confusion, gaping openly like he couldn't believe she had just said those words. He had lost his voice, his heart was in his throat.

Relief flooded Ladybug when she finally saw happiness work its way across Chat's dumbstruck face. The joyful glow in his eyes made her smile, too.

"Marinette..." Chat finally got his lips to work again. He sounded breathless.

Her name coming out of his mouth was both terrifying and exciting, but she was sure she could get used to it. Despite everything, he made her name sound lovely.

"Y-you're in love with..." Unable to finish, Chat just wildly gestured at himself. "But, but are you serious?"

Ladybug smirked at him. "Don't let it go to your head, kitty."

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed loudly as he threw both of his hands up in the air, radiant eyes almost popping out. "You're in love!"

Her smirk only grew. "I am."

"With me! Holy sh–!"

"Okay, Chat, enough. Now, Mister Mysterious, I think it's only fair that you, too, share your identity."

The boy muttered something under his breath. Ladybug leaned closer, hoping to catch his real name while also kind of hoping she wouldn't.

To her surprise, Chat started to suddenly bat his eyelashes at her. An overly sweet smile formed on his face.

"Before we get to my identity, could you possibly say it again?"

"Say what again?"

The sweet smile turned so big his cheeks must have hurt. Ladybug playfully nudged him, laughing whole-heartedly. Chat batted his eyelashes some more, dropping his gaze to her lips, but she just shook her head, amused. Finally he gave up, sighing.

_What a lovesick dork_, Ladybug thought fondly before taking a deep, deep breath. Because this was it.

"Okay, so. We're friends in real life."

Chat hummed happily in response, but she did notice how his body stiffened.

"Alright. I happen to have a lot of friends. I need more clues, Chat."

"Oh. We, uh, we used to be in the same class."

This time it was her eyes that nearly popped out of their places. "_What_?" she shrieked in disbelief. "Are you joking? When?"

"Um, in the 9th grade."

Ladybug quickly went through all of her old classmates in her mind. She gulped. She had received her Miraculous at the age of 15, which meant that she had known Chat '_Kim-Max-Nino-Adrien-Nathanaël-Ivan_' Noir _this whole time_.

_Don't panic_, she told herself. A second later she realized that she was pulling her own pigtails and had to force her hands to let go of her hair. She coughed, trying not to show that she was close to losing her mind. Judging by the look on Chat's face she was quite sure she wasn't doing a spectacular job.

"I, ah, assume that you're none of the girls?" She let out a pathetic, short laugh. She wasn't calm at all. "I just... _Who_? Who are you? You're not Kim, you're not Max, you're not Nino, you're not –"

And then, as fast as lightning, Ladybug slapped both of her hands to her mouth, struck with horror. Her blood ran cold. Blue eyes widened. The whole world seemed to stop for a very long minute, and Ladybug felt like she was ready to either throw up or pass out.

Chat just squirmed.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she looked him straight in the eyes, hands clutching her yoyo tightly. "Oh my god."

Chat waved at her awkwardly. "Hi..."

If possible, Ladybug's eyes widened even more, mouth hanging open. "Oh my god", she chanted, a little louder this time.

"Y-yeah, crazy, right?"

"_Nino_?"

There was a pause. Everything froze again.

Or more specifically, Chat Noir froze.

The heroine started pacing back and forth in front of him while he stayed still as a statue. He watched as she frantically mumbled to herself ("I can't be in love with _Nino_!"), but Chat had completely lost the ability to speak.

That was okay, though. It wasn't like he would have even known _what_ to say.

Ladybug turned back to him. "But – you – " She was unconsciously trying to rip out her hair again. "You're in a _relationship_! And last night we... Oh no, no, no."

Chat opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"How could you do that? I _knew_ that I shouldn't have... Oh god..."

He wasn't the only one who struggled with words, apparently.

"I can't believe I told you I loved you!" she groaned, letting out an irritated huff. "Why didn't you warn me in time?"

"I am not Nino!" Chat finally cried, frustrated. "Jeez, my lady, how did you even come to that conclusion? My hair colour, skin colour, eye colour, nothing matches!"

Ladybug felt more tired and lost than she had felt in a long time. She would have still given anything if she could have just gone home and slept the day away. "Then who..."

All of a sudden recognition passed over her face.

Golden hair, radiant green eyes, beautiful sunshine smile that could light up the whole world...

Buried feelings and nearly broken hearts swam to the surface of her mind with unusual clearness. It was like an invisible light bulb had finally appeared above her head. She felt fire rise in her cheeks. The burning was almost painful.

Body trembling, Ladybug stumbled backwards a few steps.

Then she screamed. Loud.

Chat panicked. Hesitantly, he reached for her. "Ladybug –"

She screamed again, causing him to back down and cover his fake ears. This wasn't going any smoother.

"_ADRIEN_?" she screeched, pointing a shaking finger at him. "Has it been you the whole time? Oh no, please, say no!"

"'No'? But –"

"We've kissed!" was her next horrified gasp. "Several times! We, we have been fighting together for years and last night I... Oh my god, _last night_ –"

"Marinette, please –"

"I saw you naked!" she protested, angrily, as if that alone was a reasonable explanation why she was so upset. "And yeah, it was great, you were magnificent and looked as beautiful as ever, but I never thought that you would... that I should... that _we_ could..."

She was panting so heavily that she had to pause. She felt so faint that she had to lean against the chimney to save herself from falling. Slowly, she brought a hand to her forehead.

It was hard to connect the dots. Adrien and Chat were both amazing people but they were just, well, so different. She had known them for years, were there really no similarities at all?

Ladybug closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating.

The one trait that they definitely shared was their kindness. Kindness and compassion. Chat and Adrien were both so kind and forgiving, maybe even too forgiving. They fought for what they thought was right. Shared the love for video games and pastries. Now that she thought about it they actually looked very much alike.

In other words, she found both of them incredibly good-looking.

And they were both so damn important to her.

She had been sure that she would never tell Adrien about her long-buried feelings, but, well. Life was full of unexpected surprises indeed. Like the impossible truth that Chat Noir and Adrien Agreste were the same freaking person, _what the hell_.

Chat took a careful step forward. "Are you okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, I think so, just... just let me catch my breath."

Her partner – _Adrien Agreste was her Chat Noir oh my god _– slightly tilted his head to one side. "Would now be a horrible time to tell you that I love you?"

A shiver ran through Ladybug's whole body. She couldn't stop her eyes from welling up with happy tears.

She had been so wrong this morning, jumping to conclusions way too quickly as usual. Lucky – that was what she really was. Clumsy at times? Sure. Awkward? Always. But still lucky, lucky enough to have love and friendship in her life. Have _him_ in her life.

Chat turned to look at his feet, nervously twisting the ring on his finger. "My level of happiness rises to ecstatic when I'm around you. And not just when I'm around Ladybug but Marinette, too. Marinette has saved my day so many times, filled them with happiness and positivity, and I can't thank you enough for being such an amazing friend."

"We make a good team", she agreed, taking a big step closer to him, unable to contain her smile. The cold January air between them was filled with warm electricity. Ladybug still felt light-headed, but this time in a good way. Smitten.

Chat beamed back at her just as brightly, teeth showing and all. "I have loved you for so long and I don't ever plan to stop", he whispered when she was close enough.

And then Ladybug grabbed his collar, making the bell ring, and used it to tug her partner forward. The expression on Chat's face told her that he was more than okay with what she was about to do.

So, she tilted her head and pressed their lips together. Without a moment's hesitation, Chat returned the kiss, gasping when she lightly bit his lower lip. Ladybug smiled into the kiss. The adrenaline rush that came with her newly awakened feelings caused her heart to beat a million times faster. But Chat's eager lips might have also had something to do with her crazy heartbeat.

The way her hands tangled in his messy hair, making a knot of it, caused the boy to hum in pleasure. The adorable, soft noises that came from him almost made her cheeks flush, especially when she remembered who really was underneath the mask.

She tugged at his hair again. The sweet noises grew louder, Chat's hold on her waist tightening. At that point she knew for sure that she would never get enough of this, enough of him.

The heroes pulled back to breathe, both panting. Breathless and drunk, Ladybug looked up from his lips, her eyes half lidded.

Love struck. That was what Chat looked like. Absolutely love struck. She couldn't control her huge grin.

Gently, she pulled his collar down, low enough that she could kiss where his collarbones met. Her warm breath against his sensitive skin and the cold air around them made him shiver in the best way possible. Chat instinctively closed his eyes and tilted his head back. Ladybug wasted no time. She kissed his neck softly, nibbling at it again and again like she had done last night.

Chat moaned.

_Finally_, Ladybug thought and pulled away, satisfied with the result.

Chat cupped her face almost desperately, crashing his lips hungrily against hers as low groans rumbled in his throat. Letting out a shaky exhale, Ladybug closed her eyes, feeling wonderfully safe and wanted.

A building suddenly crumbled behind them. It collapsed, creating a loud crash sound. Parisians screamed.

Ladybug broke the kiss, holding Chat by the hair to keep him from chasing her lips. His breath came in short pants and his perfect lips were already so red and swollen that she had to bite the inside of her cheek, hard. Oh how badly she wanted to press him up against a wall and kiss him so senseless that he would later struggle to form a coherent sentence. Maybe later, then.

Chat seemed confused for a second, his brows furrowed as he stared at her. The villain growled somewhere in the distance, and finally recognition crossed his features.

"The akuma..." he sighed, obviously disappointed.

"The akuma." Ladybug nodded. It was almost physically painful not to press her lips to his neck and forget everything else. His throat looked like it needed some more attention. "And after the fight is over, we'll go somewhere private."

Chat blinked once, twice, three times. Then, slowly, a mischievous grin settled on his face. She liked the sly glimmer in his eyes.

They shared a nod, both grinning.

"You've got yourself a deal, Buginette."

* * *

Anyway, thank you so much for reading! Comments are appreciated!


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